Lot 1100 Dα

This until yet unknown painting is a characteristic work of Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, one of the great painters of the Venetian seventeenth century. He was a widely travelled artist who was active in England, Germany, The Netherlands, France and Austria. Pellegrini was a virtuoso fast painter whose paintings are characterized by a strong impulse for movement. Their light coloration is applied to the canvas with a broad brush, forms are dissolved by light, so that contours are denied. In a virtually exemplary manner these qualities are presented in this painting. It can be assumed that it was part of a larger decorative scheme with further paintings. Among other locations in Germany Pellegrini worked for Bensberg Castle. The preserved works from this castle are now to be found in Schleißheim near Munich.
We thank Prof. Bernard Aikema, Venice, for a confirmation of the attribution of this work to Gianantonio Pellegrini.